Dominion
The Terran Dominion, sometimes simply known as the Dominion, is an empire headed by former Sons of Korhal leader Arcturus Mengsk. The Dominion's faction color is blood red. Overview The Dominion was created shortly after the fall of the Confederacy at the height of the war between the Terrans, the Zerg and the Protoss from the Sons of Korhal and many other Terran factions. Korhal IV is the throne world of the Dominion. Government The Dominion is an absolute monarchy with Arcturus Mengsk currently at its head, though this is a fact that he tries not to reinforce. The Dominion possesses a nobility with great wealth. Like the Confederacy, the Dominion maintains a senate of elected planetary representatives. Internally, the Dominion rules through oppression, fear and surveillance and makes extensive use of propaganda in order to control its citizens. It has outlawed "crimes" such as hitchhiking and squatting, has banned the airing of "subversive" music, and is somewhat corrupt. Externally, as Mengsk once put it, "tyrants can only survive by presenting a greater tyrant as a threat." The Dominion maintains a somewhat aggressive stance towards its neighbors. Groups such as the Systems Alliance, Umojan Protectorate, and the UED Expeditionary Fleet remnants are labeled as "racial traitors" in propaganda and the Zerg and Protoss are portrayed as distinct threats, although no formal state of war existed between the Dominion and the latter species. The Dominion claims that it is the only effective defense against the Swarm; a force that during the years after the Brood War, it claimed was dormant, though many within its military structure knew otherwise. The Dominion's predecessor, the Terran Confederacy, is also demonized. History Origins The roots of the Terran Dominion spring from the Rebellion of Korhal, a "terrorist" faction which emerged when the Terran Confederacy put down a rebellion against them on the world of Korhal. The Confederate attempts to weaken the Rebellion backfired when they slew its first leader; Arcturus Mengsk became its new leader and was even more effective. When Mengsk forged an alliance with the Umojan Protectorate, the Confederates destroyed the world of Korhal using nuclear weaponry. Mengsk renamed the Rebellion the Sons of Korhal. The rebel movement fought against the Confederacy, allying themselves with former Confederacy Alpha Squadron leader General Edmund Duke and eventually destroying it using psionic devices to lure the Zerg to the Confederate homeworld of Tarsonis. This action alienated two good-hearted Sons of Korhal officers, Sarah Kerrigan and Jim Raynor. The former was abandoned on Tarsonis and infested by the Zerg while the latter defected with a rebel movement. Foundation The successful destruction of Tarsonis caused the fall of the Confederacy. Most Confederate survivors joined the Sons of Korhal, including the remaining Confederate squadrons, which were forcefully conscripted, giving the Dominion military supremacy. The former rebels saved many terran lives, but refused to assist worlds that did not welcome their intervention, as Mengsk remarked that the planet's local government had ultimate authority on that planet. Many survivors were taken to Ursa. It was during this period that Jim Raynor's Raiders launched a daring raid on the Dylarian Shipyards, hoping to steal enough ships to move far from Mengsk. General Edmund Duke had been sent by Mengsk in the flagship, the Hyperion, in order to prevent the assault, but the Raiders prevailed, stealing the flagship and numerous other vessels. Duke was left behind, alive but tied up. Mengsk's government suffered a defeat before it could even declare itself. Mengsk announced that a new government, the Terran Dominion, was necessary to keep watch over the Terran worlds asking for help. He promised victory over the aliens. For the first time, all of the Terran colonies within the Koprulu Sector (including Umoja and Moria) were united under one sovereign ruler. A few exceptions, such as Raynor's Raiders and an elite commando squad led by one Samir Duran remained outside its control. The Dominion government became based out of Augustgrad, the capital of the throne world of Korhal IV. The Dominion set up a powerful defense grid on Korhal consisting of battlecruisers, nukes and other deterrents. Other Conflicts During this period Alpha Squadron was sent to the ash world of Char because of psychic visions Emperor Mengsk received from his former lieutenant, Sarah Kerrigan. Alpha Squadron was heavily defeated by the Zerg, however, and forced to pull back. It remained at Char, and even attempted to fight Protoss visitors on a number of occasions. The force eventually left the planet. Alpha Squadron was also dispatched to deal with notorious smuggler Alan Schezar and his Scavengers, leading to further mysteries when the Dominion discovered that Schezar could somehow control Zerg. The detachment broke away, disobeying orders in order to assist the Protoss in putting an end to Schezar's Zerg threat, but Schezar escaped. After the fall of Aiur, Alpha Squadron was dispatched to aid the colonists of Bhekar Ro. The squadron suffered heavy losses fighting over a Xel'Naga temple against both the Protoss and Zerg and was cut off from the Dominion for months afterward. The Terran Dominion was also involved in a war to retreive a powerful Xel'Naga artifact, the Argus Stone from the planet Aridas. The Dominion intended to use it as a military weapon. Although the planet was technically a Terran Dominion outpost, the arrival of Protoss and Zerg forces made things complicated. Jenson Archimedes was in charge of the Dominion expedition that clashed against the Protoss and Zerg, and after various battles the Dominion managed to retreive the Stone from a Protoss stronghold on the planet. However, in an effort to recover the Stone, the Zerg invaders destroyed Archimedes' battlecruiser escort, then pursued him through multiple Dominion bases. The Zerg captured some of his allies, infesting them in order to gain information on Archimedes' whereabouts. The Zerg eventually stole the Stone from Dominion forces, who allied with the Protoss and followed the Zerg all the way to Char, only to be defeated. Category:User:Xel-Hassodin